Over the weekend I was trying to learn how to make a navigation bar, but for the life of me couldn't unearth any tutorials on how to post inside the specific tabs.
That disappointment led to the "Pages" bar for my pets that you see above, so I'm not too bummed about it.
As I was doing that, it got me to thinking about whether I'm really a cat or dog person. I know that a lot of people who know me think I'm a cat person, but I think that's because they themselves don't belong to the cat fan club.
Personally, I prefer both. I find dogs to be the kindest, most sympathetic of the two. Cats on the other hand... well, my cats were never big snugglers but they gave me such peace of mind whenever I was on vacation or out of town. When I'm away, I know I don't have to worry. Wendy really could care less that I'm gone, whereas I know full well that the dogs will be confused and endlessly eagle-eying the front and back doors for our return.
And this is one biggie in the dogs favor:
No litter box! It's a necessary evil, but I do hate it. IMMENSELY!!!!!
I do miss having a bird. I used to have a canary named Westley, and he sang so beautifully. I did worry about him a lot though. (Canaries are really sensitive to their surroundings and even household chemicals). It's pathetic how obsessed I was with this little bird's happiness. After his death, I had nightmares about him for at least 10 years. (This tends to be how I deal with pet losses. My bad dreams about Westley went away only a few months ago).
I'm rambling now, so I'll end this post by asking what is YOUR preference? I've always wanted to do a poll, so you can vote on the one posted in the sidebar. If you wish, you can elaborate (aka ramble as I do oh-so-well) in any comments below.
Here are the choices:
1). Cat's Rule, Dog's Drool!
2). Cats, but only because they're going to take over the world one day.
3). Slimy and/or scaly creatures are more my thing.
4). I don't have time for either. I'm too busy raising my screaming offspring.
5). I'm not owned by any pets. It's easier to just watch other people's pets on YouTube.
6). I prefer feathers over fur.
7). Dogs, obviously. Backwards, "dog" spells "God" and my dog reveres me as one.
8). I love cats and dogs equally.
9). Robot pet. There's no mess, you can turn down the volume, and they're battery operated.
10). Other.
11). I am neither a dog or cat PERSON, because I'm an alien; an extraterrestrial from the planet Vulcan!
Season 3 of Downton Abbey airs tomorrow!!!! I'm so glad I'm finally caught up on this show, thanks to good old Saint Nick bringing me the Seasons 1 and 2 DVD set for Christmas.
Don't hate me, but below I'm going to post just a few new pics. I had to take more since we turned on the fireplace for a change. It's been a rainy, wonderfully cool day so there was nothing to do other than take pictures.
Since all the other Christmas decorations have been put away, all left is the village and tree. I started taking off the ornaments, but look at what I'm dealing with here.
I'm dealing with A LOT of ornaments on a 9 foot tree to say sad goodbyes to. So far I've only taken off 9 of them. 9 out of possibly hundreds. (This year I'm determined to make an official tally of them. We have a bet going against my brother. I can't wait to see him lose!)
Abby and I played with her new Christmas baby today. Believe it or not, a couple nights ago was the first time she actually placed a baby/stuffed animal at my feet to play tug-of-war with and chase. (Finally, she's starting to act like a real dog and not a human baby). This is not usual for her, since she's obsessed with just hiding her babies behind the couch and guarding them. I even found Wendy's catnip mouse back there.
If there was a hoarding show for dogs, she'd be on it.
Look at these sleepyheads.
Chewing rawhides, playing with their toys and begging for people food is exhausting work.
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At first, I was undecided but now I think this is so amazing. It's definitely different. I've heard 2 or 3 of their songs before, but I never knew they did all these remakes.
The songs I've heard by them before are these:
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And here's the original song, "My Immortal" by Evanescence. I love both versions of these songs. It's sad, but beautiful.
I confess that I'm guilty of enjoying sad music. As Sally Sparrow said in Doctor Who, "Sad is Happy for Deep People."
- Along with Downton Abbey, Once Upon A Time airs tomorrow too. I don't know if I can handle this much joy in one night!
- I really need to raid the kitchen because this cooler weather has influenced Mom into baking and cooking a lot over the weekend. We have all this wonderful food - left over BBQ, Long John Silvers, homemade Cinnamon Crumb Cake, homemade Lemon Meringue Pie, homemade potato soup, cinnamon bread, powdered donuts, a box of assorted Milano cookies - yet I'm not even hungry.
- I forgot to mention that my niece and nephew were on tv again. Their high school's football team made Championship, and it took place at The Cowboy's Stadium! (Their team won, by the way).
The camera panned on my nephew and his girlfriend a couple times, and before the band played at halftime I heard them announce my niece's name... complete with her nickname "Lethal Weapon." (Because she's a 2nd degree black belt. Her brother is, too).
- My poor brother-in-law just lost his job, but thankfully he already has an interview with someone he's worked with before. Hopefully everything will work out for him, and I hear he wasn't happy at his old job. I really hope this is a blessing in disguise for them.
- I'm extremely jealous of all this snow people are getting. It's been in the mid-40's here lately, which is a pretty awesome change, but snow would be so nice. I don't think I've seen even a dusting of snow in 9 years.
Although we do have ice in our freezer. Does that count?
Today I had a WOW! moment which started with a little confusion.
I've had a horrid headache since last night, so I had the perfect excuse to gulp down an iced mocha. (For the caffeine, which aided the other perfect excuse to eat some powdered donuts. I can't exactly have an iced mocha without powdered donuts, now can I?)
So after enjoying my morning cup of mocha, I went downstairs to the kitchen and on the back patio I saw a rather large bird perched on one of the chairs. I never wear my contacts, and so... very stupidly... I initially thought to myself -
But then the vision center of my brain *clicked* and I realized I was looking at a hawk.
I called for my mother to see it, which in turn had my little pommie pup announcing to everyone in our zip code that, by way of my voice being raised a pitch, that something very exciting was in progress. To roughly quote Peter Pan, an adventure was happening!
Luckily, the hawk wasn't scared off by Izzy's tattle-telling so I ran up the stairs to get the camera. (Well, I walked actually. If I ran, Izzy would have gone even more ballistic. In this house, if we have no desire to have our ears assaulted by a high-pitched yappy bark followed by the other two dogs barking joining in, we can't make any sudden movements).
Isn't it creepy how it seems to SENSE us watching from just one room away?
I wish I had gotten video of it flying off, but luck was no longer on my side. The first time it flew towards the fence, the camera was literally one second away from recording. The second time, the camera refused to focus because of the tree branches in the foreground.
And what do you think Wendy Kitty was doing when all this was happening?
Sigh...
I'm a little disappointed in her lack of enthusiasm, but in her defense she is a vintage gal of 18. I suppose climbing out of her catnip-perfumed cozy bed, just to have a quick lookie loo at a bird of prey, does seem a little senseless. Her priorities have changed.
First, my brother sees a fox behind his house and today we see a hawk. And have you ever heard of animal totems? If not, click HERE to read a quick description of them.
If there are totems, I'm pretty sure my main one is the lion. I'm obsessed with them!
This is what I found online about the Hawk:
Hawk’s Message:
The hawk is a messenger of insight, adaptability and openness, it is also about visionary power and guardianship. Hawk’s meaning teaches us to be observant and to pay attention to what we may overlook. This could mean a talent we don’t use, a blessing for which we haven’t expressed gratitude, or a message from the universe. The hawk has keen eyesight, it is about opening our eyes and seeing that which is there to guide us. Hawk awakens vision and inspires us to a creative life purpose. Look to the world around you for there are symbols buried in everything.
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
Hawk is the messenger, the protector and the visionaries of the Air. It holds the key to higher levels of consciousness.
This totem awakens vision and inspires a creative life purpose.
A Hawk totem is filled with responsibility because Hawk people seek the overall view.
They are aware of omens and spirit messages.
~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
A Red-Tailed Hawk Totem is special.
It has direct ties to the Kundalini, the seat of primal life force. It is associated with the base chakra. If you have this Totem, you will be aware of and work towards fulfilling your soul's purpose.
It reflects a greater intensity of energy within your life: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual forces will all be strong within you.
The Red-Tail Hawk is a permanent totem -- it will always be with you.
It is associated with the number "14" with the Tarot card Temperance. This card represents the teaching of higher expressions of psychic ability and vision.
I don't know if that was a red-tail/chickenhawk, but if so it's odd that the above passage mentions the #14... seeing how my birthday is May 14th.
I just hope this rare visitor didn't get to any of our birds. I've seen sparrowhawks around here before - only once, perched on our fence - but never this close. I think it was because we had taken down the tarp over the patio due to high winds a few days ago.
But no worries... we've since put the tarp back up and the birdseed we now place on the far side of the patio, where the curtains are. I think we've made it pretty difficult for the hawk to make a return trip.
Even our dogs we're keeping a close eye on whenever they go outside. I doubt this hawk could pick up Izzy or Abby, but we'd rather play it safe.
"Hang up whoboohoo bricks,
Then run out and get some more!"
History repeats itself. While I started packing away the first of A LOT of Christmas stuff, Mom went to Old Town Spring again to see if there were still any good deals.
Judging by all the photos I took today, I think it's clear that her trip was successful. One of the shops is closing it's doors for good, so all the Christmas stuff was on clearance.
The white glitter house that you see was originally something like $70. She got the last one, and at 75% off.
WIN!!!!
A few of the things you'll see are ornaments we got at Kohl's right after Christmas, but for the most part the goodies you'll see came from THADS in Old Town Spring. (See that pic they posted of the people in line the day after Christmas? You can see the top of my head. Lol!)
